1 Inter-Disciplinary, Inter-Departmental Postgraduate Programme (IIPP) Inclusive Education: a school for all The Inter-Disciplinary, Inter-Departmental Postgraduate Programme (IIPP) entitled Inclusive Education: a school for all was approved by the Ministerial Decree 80639/B7 published in the Hellenic Government Gazette No 1877/14-9-2007). The IIPP is run in collaboration with a) the School of Early Childhood Education, b) the School of Philosophy and Education of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and c) the Department of Pre-school Education and Educational Design of the University of Aegean. Successful completion of the post-graduate programme leads to the acquisition of MA degree awarded by the School of Early Childhood Education, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Aim-rationale 1. The IIPP is addressed to Social Sciences graduates (teachers, psychologists, social workers, etc) and aims a) at furthering their knowledge through theoretical and research enquiry in issues referring to the evaluation and training of students with special needs and of language and cultural minority students of all ages. The IIPP programme provides specialization in two courses of study: i) Children with Special Educational Needs that aims to delve into learning difficulties and mild intellectual disorders and provides participants with the necessary knowledge and skills to cope with the management and school and social inclusion of students with special educational needs, ii) Multicultural Education that delves into diversity issues and into the evaluation and education of language and cultural minority children based on the philosophy of the interactive model of multicultural education leading to school and social integration. Both courses aim at the emergence of a modern school focused on managing all students educational needs in an inclusive environment. b) at assisting participants to delve in theoretical and research issues and ultimately at preparing their Dissertation. 2. School integration is a complex process that should be approached interdisciplinary. This calls for scientific partnership among different Schools of Pedagogy and approaches so that both issues related with children with disabilities and language and cultural minority children be studied and addressed comprehensively and ultimately an up today, scientifically reliable and politically correct inclusive model emerges within the European rational of equal opportunities for all citizens. Post graduate degrees The IIPP consists of two stages: 1. MA degree in either specialization: a) Children with Special Educational Needs, b) Multicultural Education 2. PhD in the fields of Special Education and Intercultural Education.
2 Access requirements A degree awarded by a Greek public University or by a recognized foreign Institution of equivalent status or by a Technological Education Institution is required in order for candidates to proceed with selection criteria set by the Special Inter-Disciplinary, Inter- Departmental Committee (SIIC) to study for the Master s Degree. An MA awarded by IIPP or other MA programmes allows access to doctoral studies. Process and selection criteria for the first stage of studies The selection criteria for the first stage of studies are: 1) written exams in one of the two specializations, 2) overall diploma grade, grading for all related courses obtained during undergraduate studies, grading for a thematically relevant dissertation and/or relevant research experience, 3) certified graduate studies and/or professional experience, 4) individual interview. Each of the above criteria corresponds to the following sum of credits. Written exam, up to 60 credits Diploma grade, up to 5 credits Related courses, up to 5 credits Relevant dissertation and/or relevant research experience, up to 5 credits Certified graduate studies and/or professional experience, up to 5 credits Interview, up to 20 credits Total credits to attained: 100 Candidates can proceed to the interview stage after having attained at least 30 credits in the written exams. Examination papers are assessed by two examiners and re-assessed by a third one if the difference between the two marks is above 3 degrees. Proficient knowledge of English, French or German certified by a university degree or formal qualifications in one of these languages (Certificate of Proficiency in English, Sorbonne II and DALF for French, and Kleines Sprachdiplom for German) is a necessary requirement. Otherwise, candidates have to sit a foreign language test. Candidates admitted to IIPP but failed to pass the foreign language test can resit it 3 months later. Duration The IIPP is completed in 2 years (4 semesters) and students are registered on a fulltime basis. Attendance is obligatory for the first three semesters whilst during the fourth semester students undertake their post-graduate dissertation. Curriculum The IIPP courses are delivered by means of modules (thematic units) and combine obligatory attendance of lectures, seminars, workshops with research activities and practical training. Teaching staff is hold solely responsible for delivering the courses. Students attending less than 75% of classes in each course or failing to receive grade 6 in the assignments, according to the local credit units, fail to pass the course and have to re-attend it.
3 Courses per semester and local and ECTS credit units. Courses Local ECTS credits Semester 1 Core courses Research Methodology I 6 7 Epistemology of disability 6 8 and diversity Collaborative learning and classroom management 6 5 Specialization A ECTS Specialization B ECTS Psychopathology 6 5 Interaction issues 6 5 between language and cultural minority children Parents and teachers 6 5 Empowerment models 6 5 consultancy and support for language and cultural minority families Semester 2 Core courses Research Methodology II 6 6 6 Sociolinguistics 6 5 6 Specialization A ECTS Specialization B ECTS Epistemology of special education 6 6 Multilingualism: dialects and idioms in education 6 5 Transdisciplinary 6 7 Epistemology of 6 7 evaluation diversity Relation between 6 6 Evaluation of language 6 7 psychological research and culture minority and educational practice children for children with special needs Semester 3 Specialization A ECTS Specialization B ECTS Specialized programmes 6 7 Intervention models in 6 7 for students with learning multicultural classes disabilities Alternative programmes 6 7 Micro-teaching in 6 8 for students with multicultural intellectual disabilities environment Pedagogy of inclusion 6 8 The emergence of 6 7 diversity in textbooks
4 and literature Practicum 8 Practicum 8 Semester 4 Dissertation 30 Dissertation 30 Total credits 120 120 Courses outline 1. Research Methodology I, II (qualitative and quantitative analysis of data). The course examines the nature and kinds of research methods and the characteristics of qualitative and quantitative methods. Data collection, reflexivity, research ethics, evaluation, criticism, interaction of qualitative and quantitative methods. 2. Epistemology of disability and diversity The course examines the various views and approaches to disability and diversity as they are depicted in the fields of philosophy, sociology, pedagogy and psychology in reference to cultural, social, racial diversity and disability. 3. Collaborative learning and classroom management The course makes reference to: intraclass communication: rules and diversities and discusses collaborative models of learning attempting to better class functioning as compared to traditional learning models; ecosystemic approach to learning; spatial arrangements and the effects on learning and classroom management; cognitive discrepancy: theory and practical applications; team-work learning-empowerment; collaborative techniques for interaction and communication aiming at classroom management. 4. Psychopathology Theoretical approaches to developmental psychopathology. Models for developmental disorders classification (emotional disorders, adaptation disorders, behavioural disorders, developmental disorders and learning disabilities, pervasive developmental disorders, autism spectrum disorders). Reference to diagnostic approaches and differential diagnosis, trans-disciplinary assessment and treatment. 5. Parents and teachers consultancy and support The course examines the role of consultancy to social supporting and attempts conceptual clarification of the terms and definitions. It introduces different models and techniques of consultancy. It deals with parents and teachers consultancy and support and highlights the importance of their cooperation. 6. Interaction issues between language and cultural minority children Identity clash in multicultural societies and symbolic forms of the exclusion of the other, institutional stigmatization, prejudices and stereotypes impeding intercultural communication (interaction-subjectivity). 7. Empowerment models for language and cultural minority families The course deals with empowerment models and techniques used with language and cultural minority families and shows that successful cooperation with parents of such minority children can lead to parents support and to children s school and social incorporation. 8. Sociolinguistics
5 The course consists of a comprehensive examination of the topography and ethnography of the living languages, making references to the minority languages spoken in Europe and elsewhere today and to various linguistic theories. Special attention is given to the impact the socio-economic environment of the child has on the child language, as well as to culture-language relation and the modern dimensions of multicultural education. 9. Epistemology of special education The course examines the concept of disability through social, philosophical, anthropological and psychological trends; the evaluation of special education into an autonomous discipline; the process from special school to inclusive education; social integration procedures. 10. Transdisciplinary evaluation The role of various disciplines in the assessment of children with special needs; assessment criteria (psychometric tests assessing learning ability, speech, cognitive functioning, psycho-social behavior; types of pedagogical assessment, curriculum based evaluation). Presentation of transdisciplinary evaluation models (multidisciplinary, intra-disciplinary, systemic models). 11. Relation between psychological research and educational practice for children with special needs The course discusses the relation and between psychology and pedagogy; contradictions and conflicts; problems between theory and practice; the role of dialectics in the settlement of scientific issues; Piaget and Vygotsky theoretical models. 12. Multilingualism: dialects and idioms in education The course provides a detailed and comprehensive description of the various types of bilingualism and multilingualism, of linguistic issues such as transfer of elements to various linguistic levels, alternation of linguistic codes in oral and written language of bilingual communities and social identity issues. It also examines the educational and social impact of the above, and attempts to present models of bilingual education and alternative language teaching models apart from the predominant traditional monolinguistic models. 13. Epistemology of diversity 14. Evaluation of language and culture minority children Traditional and alternative kinds of evaluation; the danger of stigmatization and marginalization; open-ended cultural criteria; authentic evaluation. 15. Specialized programmes for students with learning disabilities The concept of learning disabilities; models of specialized programmes, competence, of methods and strategies; curriculum adaptations and differentiations in the different levels of educations. 16. Alternative programmes for students with intellectual disabilities Defining intellectual disabilities; presentation of various scientific issues; defining the aims and priorities of education in relation to intellectually disabled children; alternative approaches; training children with intellectual disabilities. 17. Pedagogy of inclusion The course attempts a retrospect from the process of integration to inclusion leading to a school for all; challenges and contradictions; overviews and approaches to inclusive education from around the world.
6 18. Intervention models in multicultural classes The course defines the principles underlying teaching within the framework of multicultural approach; teaching methods aiming at the effective integration of culturally diverged students and the improvement both foreign and native students school performance. It provides ideas on how to make the best of the educational curriculum and how to make use of alternative teaching methods congruous with the principles of multicultural education. 19. Micro-teaching in multicultural environment Simulation techniques and their effect on the improvement of teachers functioning; micro-teaching used as a feedback and retrospect tool by the teacher; social and teaching competence contributing to intercultural communication and education. 20. The emergence of diversity in textbooks and literature The course studies how different types of heterogeneity are represented in textbooks and literature; representation analysis highlights the role of concepts and attitudes in our perception of the other. Reading literature extracts and textbook extracts follows the methodology of cultural illustration, of social stereotypes and discourse analysis.